Baby's mother to visit suspect

LUDINGTON, Mich. (WOOD) - The mother of the four-month-old who's been missing since Wednesday, will visit the suspected kidnapper in jail Sunday, she said.

Ariel Courtland plans on visiting Philips Sunday morning during visitation hours to ask him where he left the child.

Her family is still optimistic the baby is alive.

"We miss you Katie-bug... we're gonna find you, we promise," Katherine's biological grandmother, April Lange, said.

Since police announced the ground search for the missing four-month-old was complete, the family organized a community-wide search effort to find her.

They need volunteers to meet at The Path To Life Ministries in Ludington, behind the Little Caesars at 1p.m. Volunteer search groups will be dispatched from there from 1 to 8 p.m..

Everyone who comes needs to be at least 16-years-old and have a photo i.d.

Police completed their search for Katherine Saturday. Now they're working tips and following up on leads, the Chief said.

"This is a pretty significant size operation and it's being handled in an outstanding seamless fashion," he said.

"The people involved are coming together with one goal and one purpose and thats to bring a successful resolution to this abduction."

The pink outfit worn by Katherine Phillips on the day she was reported missing was found, but Katherine is still missing according to Ludington Police.

Police didn't disclose where the baby's clothing was found.

Ludington Police held a news conference Saturday to talk about the search for Katherine Phillips, or baby Kate as some residents have called her.

Ariel Courtland, Katherine's mother, told 24 Hour News 8 Saturday afternoon, "we're getting close." She said she couldn't give specifics but felt she and police were getting closer to finding Kate.

This, after their first meeting on Friday resulted in Philips nodding his head when asked "Is she still alive?" according to family members.

Law enforcement members and volunteers spent Saturday morning posting flyers around Ludington and Scottville with the missing 4-month-old's picture.

A candlelight vigil is planned at 9pm Saturday at Copeyon Park for baby Kate. People are asked to bring candles and, if possible, wear pink shirts or ribbons.

"Tips are coming in and investigators are going out and working them," the chief said. "The whole thing is not just search. A majority of the work is following up on those tips via interviews."

Police continue to search for Katherine Phillips. If you have any information about the whereabouts of Katherine Phillips, you are asked to contact Ludington Police or Silent Observer.